Well, it’s about time. Usama Bin Laden (UBL) has been neutralized/terminated (i.e., killed) in the city of Abbottabad Pakistan within the last 24 hours in a firefight that occurred during a direct action (DA) mission being conducted around 1am Pakistan time by a U.S. strike team consisting primarily of U.S. Naval Special Warfare Development Group (NSWDG)/DEVGRU assaulters/operators. NSWDG/DEVGRU is formerly known as SEAL Team Six (ST6). It’s possible that the DEVGRU assaulters received assistance from CIA SOG (Special Operations Group) operators made up of former Tier 1 U.S. military SOF personnel (unconfirmed/unverified). CIA SOG teams operate under the CIA’s Special Activities Division (SAD). It’s being reported that approx. 40 “Navy SEALs” were involved in the night op (night operation). (160th SOAR?) Helicopters were utilized in the operation, and roughly 24-30 “SEALs” are reported to have fast-roped in (fast rope inserted) from Sikorsky (MH-60M?) Black Hawk and Boeing (MH-47G?) Chinook helicopters and gone in to “make the hit”.

Early reports were that the DEVGRU assaulters/operators “asked” Bin Laden to surrender, he refused, and he was then shot in the head and killed. Later reports have it that it was a kill operation, not a capture operation, and that Bin Laden was double-tapped (shot twice in rapid succession) in the face, specifically to the left side of his face. A U.S. official says UBL was shot above his left eye, blowing away a portion of his skull. It’s been reported that Bin Laden was also shot several times in the chest. Four men on Bin Laden’s side are reported to have been killed. No U.S. personnel are reported to have been killed in the operation. It’s being reported that the SEALs flew in from Afghanistan.

It’s been reported that the direct action op/tactical raid on the “huge compound” in which UBL was living was authorized by President Obama last Friday. The compound was located in an urban area, supposedly owned by two brothers (front men) who were “couriers” for Bin Laden (both killed). One of the U.S. military helicopters went down during the operation, crash-landing inside the compound. The helo could not take-off again, and was subsequently destroyed by the DEVGRU operators. No word yet on whether or not anyone on board that helo was injured. A woman that was used as a human shield was also reportedly shot and killed. It’s rumored that small arms may have

It’s been reported by Fox News that the identity of Bin Laden’s body has been confirmed via both photo analysis and DNA testing on it. UBL’s body was taken into U.S custody, photographed, and quickly buried at sea. DefenseReview (DR) received the initial news while watching Geraldo Rivera, who was reporting from the news desk at the Fox News Channel (FNC), as well as a Presidential address to the nation. One of Bin Laden’s sons was also killed in the raid. The son’s presence is seen as evidence that Bin Laden felt very comfortable and secure at that location.

The “huge compound”, identified in August of 2010, was actually built in 2005, is 8 times larger than most of the homes in the area, and has been built up quite significantly since then, so “it had quite an urban feel”. Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin was told by a U.S. official that “it was clear to the intelligence community that it was built to house someone of Bin Laden’s stature”. Griffin was also told that “there was a very significant and heavy security presence there”, “12-18-ft high security walls topped with barbed wire”, and that there are “two security gates at the compound, and that the compound itself was three (3) stories high, and on the terrace for the third floor, there was a 7-ft ‘privacy wall’.” She was also told by the U.S. official that the property is valued at approx. $1 million ($1M) USD. It looks like the “compound”, according to U.S. intellience’s analysis, was custom built specifically to hide and house Bin Laden from it’s inception in 2005. The compound is reportedly located just 30-35 miles from Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. So, U.S. intelligence officials have apparently been investigating and surveilling Bin Laden’s compound since last August (2010), or roughly 8-9 months. Security personnel were observed at the compound, and the compounds residents were the only people in the neighborhood that burned their trash. Nope, nothing suspicious there.

It should be noted that bin Laden’s body was washed and wrapped according to tradition before being buried at sea, which, if true, is much better postmortem treatment than the 9/11 WTC (World Trade Center) and aircraft victims received when they died. Many of our victims were vaporized, incinerated, crushed, or otherwise obliterated. Many families had little to nothing of their loved ones left to even bury. Hopefully, the killing of Bin Laden will bring those families some additional closure and peace.

Congratulations to the NSWDG/DEVGRU assaulters, pilots, all U.S. military support personnel, and all intelligence personnel involved in the op, including Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Agency (NSA), and Geospacial-Intelligence Agency (GIA) personnel. Job very well done and appreciated.

This article is being continuously updated as DR receives more detailed information from FNC and the Drudge Report. As we learn more, you’ll learn more.

Editor’s Note: Defense Review believes that it’s important that the American be shown photos and/or video of the body as soon as possible, if possible, so we can see it with our own eyes. We believe that visual confirmation by the American public is important, in this case. It’s also arguably important that America’s enemies/Osama Bin Laden’s (OBL) followers see it with their own eyes, as well.

Update 11:31 pm PST (5/01/11): A bloody picture of Osama Bin Laden has reportedly been released. DR found out about about this after I wrote the above paragraph. FNC’s Jennifer Griffin is trying to get her hands on the photo.

About David Crane

David Crane started publishing online in 2001. Since that time, governments, military organizations, Special Operators (i.e. professional trigger pullers), agencies, and civilian tactical shooters the world over have come to depend on Defense Review as the authoritative source of news and information on "the latest and greatest" in the field of military defense and tactical technology and hardware, including tactical firearms, ammunition, equipment, gear, and training.